Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes Rivalry; Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Future; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Sparks Speculation
By Mike Chiari – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, highlighting Roman Reigns’ thoughts on recent WrestleMania 40 events, boxing star Tommy Fury’s possible wrestling aspirations, and intriguing news surrounding NXT’s Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Discusses WrestleMania 40 Opponents and Potential Rock Match
In a candid interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Roman Reigns opened up about his WrestleMania 40 main event experience against Cody Rhodes and the long-teased prospect of facing his cousin, WWE legend The Rock.
Asked if he was disappointed not to face The Rock at WrestleMania 40, Reigns emphasized that being in the main event spotlight was all that mattered to him. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… we just need to get there and defend this thing,” Reigns stated. He underscored the shared objective of stopping his dominance as WWE Champion, regardless of the challenger.
Following Cody Rhodes’ surprise win in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he initially declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE title at WrestleMania, seemingly paving the way for The Rock’s involvement. However, fan backlash prompted Rhodes to reverse course, leading to The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and aligning with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, only for Rhodes to capture the WWE Championship from Reigns on Night 2. Addressing whether a match against The Rock could still happen, Reigns expressed optimism: “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen.” The Rock made an unannounced return last month at the Bad Blood event but has not appeared on WWE programming since, leaving open the possibility for future storyline developments, especially with the upcoming WarGames match at Survivor Series involving Bloodline factions.
Tommy Fury Teases Potential WWE Career
Emerging British boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, hinted at a possible transition to professional wrestling with WWE. In a YouTube video from a recent WWE UK tour, Fury showcased backstage interactions with top WWE stars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. He expressed gratitude and fascination at joining the wrestling world, saying, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?”
Tommy Fury holds an undefeated 10-0 boxing record and notably handed Jake Paul his first professional loss. Given his familial ties—and Tyson Fury’s past WWE appearance against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel 2019—Tommy may be a natural fit for WWE storylines involving the Paul brothers, particularly Logan Paul, who is an active WWE Superstar. A tag-team feud pairing the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers could appeal to a broad mainstream audience, suggesting WWE might consider a future role for Tommy.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Sparks Questions
Reports from Fightful Select indicate that Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion, has been missing from recent NXT tapings since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. No official explanation for his absence has emerged.
Femi rose rapidly after debuting in April 2023, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title from Dragon Lee. His reign lasted a record 272 days before he dropped the championship to D’Angelo and suffered a subsequent rematch defeat at Halloween Havoc. It remains unclear whether his hiatus is due to injury, a main roster call-up in the works, or a strategic NXT storyline break to reset his character after back-to-back losses.
When Femi returns, he is widely viewed as a strong contender to pursue the NXT Championship, potentially setting up a major feud with champion Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for further WWE updates, including behind-the-scenes insights and exclusive interviews. Don’t forget to listen to Ring Rust Radio for the latest hot topics in wrestling.
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